Gareth Southgate Poised to Make Radical Change for England's Clash Against Switzerland

Gareth Southgate is considering a tactical shift for England’s Euro 2024 quarter-final against Switzerland. In training on Wednesday, they experimented with a back-three formation, possibly in anticipation of Switzerland's tactical flexibility under manager Murat Yakin, who often deploys a similar setup.

Switzerland themselves have utilized a back three, prompting England to prepare accordingly with mannequins set up in that formation during an open training session before closing it to the public.

Southgate has faced challenges in finding the right formula for his team in this tournament, especially in maximizing the performances of attacking players like Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and Harry Kane. The absence of a regular left-back, with Luke Shaw sidelined since February, has further complicated matters.

Having successfully utilized a back three in the 2018 World Cup, where England reached the semi-finals, Southgate initially indicated a preference for a different approach at Euro 2024. However, recent preparations suggest a potential return to this formation as Southgate seeks solutions for England's upcoming match.

Southgate has maintained reluctance to alter his lineup significantly, making only midfield changes with Kobbie Mainoo and Conor Gallagher seeing inclusion.

However, with England's underwhelming start prompting the need for a turnaround in fortunes and performance levels, a potential system change for the Switzerland clash is now being considered.

Ahead of the showdown in Dusseldorf, England have two more full training days remaining. Meanwhile, Switzerland's manager Yakin remains confident following their impressive display against Italy, hinting at their readiness to challenge England.

"We played against Germany we were good, we played against Italy, also a big team, and why can't we beat England?" Yakin said.

"We're in a good mood now. Let's see, it's a good challenge and my team is ready to have this big fight against England."